At Kamokawa Hand-pulled Somen Restaurant Menkurado, marked by a large waterwheel, we enjoyed hand-pulled somen noodles made using traditional methods in the traditional Nagashi Somen style!
2024.06.20This summer, the heat arrived before the rainy season. Nagashi somen is what you crave in the summer! Kamogata-cho, Asakuchi City City, Okayama Prefecture, is one of the leading noodle-producing areas in Okayama Prefecture , thanks to the delicious water from Mt. Yoteru, wheat grown with the high-quality water of the Takahashi River River basin, the delicious salt from the Seto Naikai Sea, and the warm climate of the sunny land of Okayama.
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Table of contents
- What is "Kamokawa Hand-Stretched Somen Restaurant Menkurado"?
- The big waterwheel along the road is the landmark
- Nagashi somen noodles at "Menkurado Restaurant"
- Nagashi somen starts
- The direct sales store is like a comprehensive noodle specialty store
- Oni no Kanabou Udon: A popular lucky charm
- Bachioko, a B-class gourmet dish from Asakuchi
- I tried making "Bachioko" at home
- You can also enjoy a natural hot spring foot bath!
- For dessert, head to the pastry shop across the street
- Discover "Cool Fresh Monaka" with Drumsticks
What is "Kamokawa Hand-Stretched Somen Restaurant Menkurado"?
Kamogata-cho, Asakuchi City Okayama Prefecture , is known as a producer of hand-pulled noodles, thanks to the clean water that springs from the nearby Mount Yosho, the high-quality wheat grown in the Takahashi River River basin, and the salt produced in the salt fields along the Setouchi Inland Sea coast.
Kamokawa Hand-pulled Somen Restaurant Menkurado is a noodle-themed facility that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, from children to adults, where you can enjoy a menu using local specialty hand-pulled somen noodles, buy souvenirs at the direct sales store, and even take a foot bath at the entrance.
The big waterwheel along the road is the landmark
A large waterwheel spinning along the road catches your eye. The large parking lot is always full at lunchtime. Kamogata has long been an area where noodles have been made, but the use of waterwheels became more common in the latter half of the Edo period, and they were apparently used to mill wheat grown in the vicinity. This is the "Tenobe no Sato Kamote Large Waterwheel," a reproduction of that style.
Nagashi somen noodles at "Menkurado Restaurant"
I was looking forward to ordering Nagashi somen noodles straight away. They start boiling them after you order, and freshly boiled noodles are brought to you in 2-3 minutes. They're quite filling! 790 yen seems very reasonable in this day and age. Each seat is equipped with Nagashi somen noodles. The seats are relatively spacious, so families and groups can enjoy the experience.
Nagashi somen starts
Once the water starts flowing, the nagashi somen noodles start! I want to eat the deliciously boiled somen noodles before they get soggy. Since I was filming alone, I used a tripod and a mobile phone remote camera, pouring the noodles myself from the top, then running along with the flow of the noodles to pick them up just before they reach the colander, repeating this process over and over (lol). After doing it a few times, I got the hang of it and was able to avoid dropping them into the colander.
Pour it yourself from the top!
Freshly boiled somen noodles gradually harden over time. If you pour too much at once, they will get lost in the strainer, so you need to loosen a small amount and pour it from the top, then run to catch it just before the strainer! It's a busy but fun job.
There's a trick to removing the noodles!
The water flows faster than I expected, and the noodles flow by in an instant. I'm starting to get the hang of picking them up with chopsticks!
The somen soup is also delicious
The somen noodles were served with somen soup containing green onions and ginger. Pickled plums were also included if desired.
Catch the flowing somen noodles with a strainer
Don't worry if you miss the flowing somen noodles. They're caught in a strainer. I finished off the bowl with somen soup and was full. You can also order tempura or other dishes to your liking.
The direct sales store is like a comprehensive noodle specialty store
The direct sales store is like a general noodle specialty store, with a wide variety of noodles. They also have a full range of sauces and seasonings. You can also buy somen noodles as gifts here.
You can also buy the Nagashi Somen noodles that you ate earlier.
Here is the somen I had earlier. There are many different types of somen lined up, but the noodles are made a little flat to make them easier to catch with chopsticks.
Oni no Kanabou Udon: A popular lucky charm
"Oni no Kanaba Udon" is a popular souvenir! The noodles are thick and long, about 90cm long, and are popular as a lucky charm for praying for longevity. The product is based on a folk tale from Asakuchi City, and resembles an ogre's iron club.
Bachioko, a B-class gourmet dish from Asakuchi
I found a product that caught my eye! This is a set that allows you to easily make Asakuchi's B-grade gourmet dish, "Bachioko"! "Bachi" refers to the scraps of udon noodles that are left over when making udon, making this a perfect SDGs product.
I tried making "Bachioko" at home
I bought some "bachioko" and tried making it at home! The scraps of udon called "bachi" are boiled and then put into okonomiyaki with cabbage and grilled. It was like okonomiyaki with udon, and was chewy and delicious! The "bachi" are the parts around the okonomiyaki in the photo.
You can also enjoy a natural hot spring foot bath!
There's a natural hot spring footbath at the entrance to Menkurado. Anyone can enjoy it for free, but unfortunately it was out of order on the day we visited. They plan to reopen it as soon as the parts arrive.
[Kamokawa Hand-stretched Somen Restaurant Menkurado]
Address: 1981 Okayama Prefecture , Kamogata-cho, Asakuchi Asakuchi City Bando
TEL: 0120-416-868
Opening hours: (Restaurant) 11:00-15:00, (Direct sales store) 9:00-18:00, (Foot bath) 10:00-16:30, 17:30 on weekends and holidays
Closed: (Restaurant, foot bath) Wednesdays and New Year's Day, (Direct sales store) New Year's Day
Parking: Available
Okayama Tourism WEB | Kamokawa Hand-Stretched Somen Noodles
For dessert, head to the pastry shop across the street
"Patisserie Ciel" is located across the street from the parking lot of "Kamokawa Hand-stretched Somen Menkurado." I naturally headed there for dessert after my meal.
A store filled with cakes and baked goods
The store was filled with cakes and baked goods filled with fruit, and they all looked delicious.
Discover "Cool Fresh Monaka" with Drumsticks
In the display case, Ciel's original "Cool Fresh Monaka" caught my eye. The vanilla and red bean flavors contain Kamokawa Hand-stretched Somen "bachi" noodles! I immediately took some out! (There is no eat-in option inside the store.)
The "drumsticks" have a nice chewy texture!
When I broke the ice cream monaka with my hands, I heard a "crack" sound. When I took a bite, the chewy "bachi" had a strong presence! Red bean ice cream and "bachi" may not seem like a good combination, but they actually go well together, and the taste is addictive. The idea of putting "bachi" in ice cream monaka is both original and delicious, so I recommend it as a dessert after nagashi somen!
[Patisserie Ciel]
Address: 1980-1 Kosaka Asakuchi City, Okayama Prefecture Bando
TEL: 0865-44-0304
Business hours: 9:00-19:30 (19:00 on Sundays)
Closed: Mondays
Parking: Available
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